The Association for Organic and Natural HealthThe 11th annual conference, “The United States of Health: Building Bridges to Opportunity,” concluded Jan. 22 with a celebration of the industry and a clear message: the future of natural health depends on independent retailers, credible science and modernized policies based on transparency and consumer protection.
Organic & Natural Health Association honors SENPA’s Debra Short with Champion Award at Shaping Policy, and the Future of Retail conference
The conference brought together Organic & Natural Health members, board leaders and industry stakeholders from across the supply chain. It opened with a keynote from Debra Shortdirector of SENPAwhich reflected on the organization’s history and reinforced the critical role that independent retailers play as the frontline for consumer education and access. At the event, SENPA and Short received the Organic & Natural Health Association Champion Award, honoring their long-standing commitment to advocacy, education and compassion in support of independent natural products retailers.
“This recognition goes to the independent retailers who serve their communities every day,” Short said. “Advocacy and education are critical to the future of SENPA and to protecting the consumers these retailers serve.”
The awards ceremony recognized Short’s decades of leadership and highlighted the independent retailer as the heartbeat of the natural health industry, highlighting how advocacy, education and community involvement fuel both the retailer’s success and consumer confidence.
“In a time of disruption and uncertainty, the industry’s strength comes from collaboration and shared purpose,” he says Karen HowardCEO and Executive Director of Organic & Natural Health. “This conference brought together the right voices to protect consumers, empower retailers and advance policies that support a resilient future for natural health.”
The program examined science, policy and business in equal measure. Stephen Van Vliet, Ph.D.assistant professor of food sciences at Utah State University, presented research showing how agricultural inputs can measurably affect nutrient density in animal foods, with implications for public health policy. Travis McCormickone of the most important architects of the “Make Texans healthy againinitiative inspired attendees with legislative successes that are incrementally transforming health care in Texas. Representatives from My Health Alliance furthered the policy discussion by outlining political goals for 2026, which participants used to discuss potential outcomes with artificial intelligence.
Todd Harrisona founding partner of Organic & Natural Health and partner at Venable, called for a bold, next-generation reset of dietary supplements and cosmeceutical health regulation, arguing that incremental updates to a decades-old framework have not kept pace with today’s global, digital marketplace and advances in food and life sciences. He outlined a framework to replace regulatory ambiguity with clear rules that increase postmarket transparency, clarify the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s authority, and focus enforcement on real public health risks, while preserving the postmarket status of dietary supplements and avoiding premarket drug-like regulation.
Global perspectives rounded out the program. Matt JohansenCEO of Aker BioMarineaddressed challenges associated with international trade and supply chains, followed by a panel discussion exploring their impact on product quality, costs and sourcing. Info market research analyst Erika Ambacht presented the latest data on consumer trends. The conference concluded with a session led by a scientific advisor from Organic & Natural Health Dr. Dana Cohanwhich convened leading brands for a Consumer Packaged Goods Council discussion. Participants included Brian Terry by Nordic natural products, Stephanie RedmondPharm.D, founder of Doctor Stephanie’sAnd Michael T Murraynaturopathic doctor and chief scientific advisor iHerbwho discussed transparency, efficacy, and the priorities shaping today’s natural healthcare consumers.
Looking ahead, Organic & Natural Health will continue its “United States of Health: Building Bridges to Opportunity” salon dinners, a year-round series of intimate, strategy-driven roundtables that unite leaders from business, policy and science. Each meeting is designed to promote actionable insights, collaborative problem solving and partnerships that advance the natural health industry. The Organic & Natural Health 2026 conference was supported by sponsors: Info, Anagenix And Venabel. Join us at https://organicandnatural.org.
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